Cart peebels



$1 a l' "6 f mtrb -tatrs @anni ffrrr.

LU o

GARY PEEBELS, OF SANTA CLA-RA, CALIFORNIA. Letters Pam No. 63,086, zaad Mara 19, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN ADJUSTABLE HNADLES FOB. FRUIT BOXES.

TO ALL WHO IT MAY CONGERN:

Be it known that I, CARY PEEBELS, of Santa Clara, Santa Clara county, State of Oalifornia,have invented a new and improved Adjustable Handle for Berry Boxes; and I do herebydeclare the following description and accompanying drawings areV suiiicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention without further invention or experiment.

The nature of my invention is to provide an adjustable handle for strawberry b'oxes to be used in picking the fruit, so constructed as to clasp the box and hold it until filled, after which it can be easily detached and applied to another box. The necessity for such an invention will be found apparent from the fact that berries, especially strawberries, should be sent t9 market in Athe same boxes in which they are gathered, on account of the necessity oi` preserving the berries perfect, which cannot be done by rehandling and repacking..

In most cases strawberry boxes are round or square, with no convenient handle or arrangement for holding except by claspingby the thumb upon the top or edge of the box, witlrthe ngers placed underneath, which soon becomes very tedious and wearisome for the hand, and in no case can more than one hand be employed at the same time; but, in case ofvnecessity, when my invention is used, both hands can be occupied, by attaching the box to the body by means of astrap passingr through thehandle and fastened-t0 the person engaged in picking.

To more fully explain my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, in whichv Figure 1 is one form of my invention.

'Figures 2 and 3 are modifications of the same. I

-A A, 'g. 1, are two stout wires or pieces of iron, twisted together, as shown, for a portion of their length each way from the middle. The four projecting endsare then bent at right angles with the twisted portion, forming four arms, as shown at b and b In. These arms b Z1 are bent inward at their extremities, c c, forming four short prongs or dogs, which, having a less distance between'them than the diameter of the boxes, can be firmly attached by separating the arms lfb from and then allowing them to spring back, thus forcing the points c cinto the sides ofthe box, and holding it firmly. A strap may be attached, andthe box supported by the body, thus allowing both hands to be used.

After filling a box the handle maybe removed and applied to another box, as they are all of uniform size, the labor of gathering the fruit being thus rendered more expeditious and less fatiguing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A handle A, constructed with the arms b 6' and prongs e c, similar to that herein described, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

- CARY PEEBELS. [L s.]

Witnesses;

C. W. M. SMITH, Grao. H. SrRoNe. 

